ST. LOUIS, Dec. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Peabody Energy’s Viking Mine
has earned the 2008 Excellence in Mining and Reclamation Award from the
Indiana Department of Natural Resources. The award recognizes the mine’s
success in reclaiming 850 acres of forest and farm land in Daviess County
southeast of Montgomery, Ind.

The award praised Viking for increasing the number of valuable hardwood
forest species in the area, reclaiming streams and prime farmland and
providing a greater depth and quality of replaced soils than is required by
post-mining land use standards. The company’s soil handling and grading
techniques increased tree species diversity, improved crop yields, reduced
overland erosion and improved downstream water quality.

In reclaiming high-quality woodland and wildlife habitat, Viking helped to
reverse the decline of oak species in the Midwest. The company planted 200,000
trees on nearly 300 acres at its Corning area from 2004 to 2008, and oak
seedlings accounted for more than 50 percent of those trees. Peabody also
established enhanced stream corridors for wildlife migration and habitat.

Viking worked collaboratively with community leaders on reclamation
initiatives. For example, the company reconstructed two county roads on the
reclaimed area to improve visibility and safety. Peabody has a long history of
sustainable practices, having earned nearly two dozen awards for stewardship
in the past two years.

“Viking employees should be very proud of what we have accomplished in
restoring high-quality farmland and wooded areas,” said Eric Ford, Peabody’s
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “This award underscores
how committed Viking employees are to living by a core principle of our
mission: ‘to return mined lands to a condition that is equal to or better than
we found it.'”

The Viking Mine employs approximately 134 full-time employees and produces
approximately 1.6 million tons of coal annually.

Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU) is the world’s largest private-sector coal
company. Its coal products fuel approximately 10 percent of all U.S.
electricity generation and 2 percent of worldwide electricity.